The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of garlic plant, botanically known as Allium sativum L. and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99.
xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objective of creating new garlic cultivars having early harvesting capabilities, high yield potential, regular clove arrangements, healthy plant material and seed-propagated garlic cultivation.
xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 was originated from an open pollination made in a controlled breeding program, which began in 1986 in Broek op Langedijk, the Netherlands. The parent lines were unnamed seedlings of Chinese origin. During the breeding program, several selections were made within the progeny of the open pollination.
xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 was discovered and selected as one plant growing among the group of selected plants by the inventor, Henk de Groot, in 1989 in a controlled environment in Broek op Langedijk, the Netherlands.
The first act of asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 was accomplished by the inventor in which cloves were taken from the initial selection in August 1989 in a controlled environment in Broek op Langedjik, the Netherlands. Horticultural examination of asexually reproduced plants of xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 in 1990 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 which in combination distinguish this garlic as a new and distinct cultivar:
1 1. Early harvesting of the plant;
1 2. High yield of bulbs;
1 3. Disease-free vegetation;
1 4. Presence of flower scape; and
1 5. Vigorous foliage that develops quicker and has more volume than comparative cultivars.
xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantly with variations in environment such as daylength, temperature, soil condition, humidity, fertilization and date of planting without any change in genotype of the cultivar. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Broek op Langedijk, the Netherlands under conditions that approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The age of the plants described is 9 months after planting.
Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 is xe2x80x98Sprintxe2x80x99 (unpatented). In comparison to xe2x80x98Sprintxe2x80x99, xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 has similar bulb and clove colors but demonstrates significant differences in the earliness of harvesting, higher yield and healthier cultivation.
The following chart represents a comparison, based on Dutch cultivation conditions, of the principle variety characteristics of xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 and 3 main commercial varieties:
In the above chart, susceptibility to bolt was measured by visual observations based upon the inventor""s information from the Dutch trial field during the 1996/1997 and 1997/1998 production seasons. Earliness (10 is fastest variety xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99; difference in weeks) indicates that xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99 is considered to be the earliest variety whereby the standard is 10. Therefore, an earliness of 8, as in xe2x80x98Germidourxe2x80x99 (unpatented) for example, means that this variety is 2 weeks slower than xe2x80x98Melanyxe2x80x99. These figures are based upon the inventor""s information from the Dutch trial field during the 1996/1997 and 1997/1998 production seasons.
Also, in the above chart, xe2x80x98Carlifornia Earlyxe2x80x99 (unpatented) and xe2x80x98Thermidromexe2x80x99 (unpatented) are standard cultivars in the U.S. and Europe, respectively, and can be compared with respect to yield (production weight per area). The percentages that are given for Yield in ratio to California Early/Thermidrome indicates the relative average yield increase of the new cultivar. Dry matter was measured by means of a drying apparatus in which 25 grams of garlic material per variety was dried for 72 hours at 72xc2x0 C. The percentage of dry matter was then calculated using the formula: 100xc3x97weight of material after drying/weight of same material before drying. To determine an average, this test was repeated five times for each growing season 1996/1997 and 1997/1998. Storability was measured as the relative marketable yield relative to garlic bulbs after certain storage periods: 4-6-8 months.